E-Paper
4x100m relay teams eye Asian Games qualification in grand prix meet
Hurdler-sprinter Jyothi Yarraji will run in the women’s relay squad as it chases a mark of 44.5 seconds set by the athletics federation, AFI.
Jyothi Yarraji, the 100m hurdles Asian champion who will also run the 200m in the Hangzhou Asian Games, will be part of the women’s 4x100m relay team that will make a bid to achieve the qualification mark set by the athletics federation in the two-day Indian Grand Prix 5 starting in Chandigarh on Sunday.
The sports ministry has cleared a 65-member track and field contingent, but AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said on Saturday that 15 more athletes could come in (from a long list) if they meet AFI’s qualification mark in the meet. The men’s and women’s 4x100m relay squads (mark: 39 secs and 44.5 secs respectively), Balkishen and Preeti Lamba (3000m steeplechase) and Seema (10,000m) are among those hoping to achieve the standard as they could help improve India’s medal tally.
Yarraji is also listed to run the 400m in Chandigarh, though it is said to be more of a fitness exercise. The 23-year-old won the hurdles gold at the Asian meet clocking 13.08 secs and added the 200m silver (23.13 secs). However, it was disappointment at the Budapest World Athletics Championships where she was eliminated in the heats.
“I was having some technical issues doing hurdles. I want to iron them out and have made some changes,” Yarraji said. “The Asian Games coming up and it would be great to compete and get practice in the IGP. We’ve been training hard in Thiruvananthapuram and the facilities have been good.”
“The Indian contingent will be bigger and stronger this time. We have shortlisted 65 athletes and there are chances to add another 15 athletes depending on whether they achieve the qualification criterion set by AFI,” Sumariwalla said.
Shot-putter Tajinderpal Toor, Amlan Borghohain (100m), Kishore Jena (javelin), Aishwarya Mishra (women’s 400m) and Seema Punia (women’s discus) are among the others entered.
